Authorities have busted a major adulterated milk scam in Maharashtra, according to an NDTV report on Monday. The case pertained to the Bhoom taluka in Dharashiv district, Maharashtra, where milk powder worth over Rs 9 crore was contaminated with detergent powder, palm oil and notably low quality chemical powder, as per police and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Repeated ingestion of such adulterated milk may completely damage one's liver, kidneys and digestive system and threaten the lives of children, pregnant women and the elderly, as per medical experts.
"During the raid, officials seized 61 bags of adulterated milk powder. Preliminary investigations reveal that Balasaheb Godge was supplying the adulterated milk powder to several dairy units in the Bhum region for the preparation of adulterated milk," Shriganesh Kanagude, police inspector in Bhum told NDTV.
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"The probe has also indicated the involvement of multiple milk collection centres in the racket," he added.
The accused had used close to 2,30,470 kilograms of low grade milk powder for adulteration in the past six months, this powder could create 23,04,070 litres of fake milk. The suspects had created and distributed milk with a 10% rate of adulteration, due to them mixing in 10 litres of synthetic milk into every 100 litres of pure milk.
This implied that 2.3 crore litres of adulterated milk was supplied by the perpetrators across Maharashtra through milk collection centres in Bhoom taluka.
"The racket was being run under the guise of selling cattle feed. Bhum taluka exports lakhs of litres of milk every day and produces nearly 70 to 80 tonnes of khoya, making the case particularly significant," Kanagude said.
Law enforcement officials registered a case against seven individuals in accordance with stringent sections of legislation. The accused are still absconding eight days after they registered the case.
The officials formed a Special Investigation Team led by a police inspector to apprehend the suspects, while also undertaking similar raids at suspected hideouts.
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"However, those who allegedly purchased thousands of litres of adulterated milk made using the powder are yet to be identified or arrested," Kanagude stated.
The accused are likely to face a fine of Rs 10 lakh as well as life imprisonment sentence, according to the regulations laid out in the Food Safety Act.
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